Philip Glass: Etudes

Jenny Lin

One of the most influential composers of our time, Philip Glass has created an opus in the tradition of Frédéric Chopin. The Etudes, conceived to develop his own keyboard skills, evolved into a career achievement reflecting the breadth of his compositional style.

Pianist Jenny Lin’s commitment to new music and to working closely with leading composers of the 21st century shines through on her latest release for the Steinway & Sons label, Philip Glass’s Complete Etudes for Solo Piano (STNS 30070). The two-disc album was released November 20, 2017 and was recorded shortly after the New York premiere of the complete set of Etudes, in which Lin was one of the performers.

Glass composed the complete Etudes between 1994 and 2012, many for his own purposes as a solo recitalist. Eventually coming to terms with the fact that his compositional duties would preclude him from ever learning Etudes 11-20, which have a higher degree of difficulty, Glass conscripted nine other pianists from a variety of backgrounds to join him for the first live performances of all 20 Etudes. Jenny Lin was among the group selected, alongside Nico Muhly, Timo Andres, jazz virtuoso Aaron Diehl, frequent Glass interpreters Maki Namekawa and Sally Whitwell, and others. The New York premiere took place in December 2014 at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Lin continues to join Glass on the ongoing world tour of the Etudes.

While some of the Etudes were composed partially as pedagogical exercises for Glass to address deficiencies in his own playing, they nevertheless include “some of the most beautiful and inventive music of his late period,” according to WQXR. The Etudes reveal Glass’s deeply personal relationship to the piano, and Lin brings a similar attachment to her own interpretations of these modern classics.

"Lin offers some of the widest dynamic ranges to be heard on recordings of Glass' keyboard and chamber music, and her performances are sweeping and powerful."

AllMusic Guide

"What a delightful 2 disc CD set this is. Lin's performance here is energetic and polished. I find it’s a joy to immerse myself in the Glass universe of these fresh performances of the Etudes."

Audiophile Audition

About the Artist

Jenny Lin is one of the most respected young pianists today, admired for her adventurous programming and charismatic stage presence. Her orchestral engagements have included the American Symphony Orchestra, NDR and SWR German Radio orchestras, and Orchestra Sinfonica Nationale della RAI. Her concerts have taken her to Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Kennedy Center, MoMA, and National Gallery of Art, appearing at Festivals such as Mostly Mozart, BAM’s Next Wave, Spoleto/USA, Kings Place London, Chopin Festival Austria, and Schleswig-Holstein Festival Germany. She made her debut in Lincoln Center’s Great Performers Series in the fall of 2017.

About Steinway & Sons label

The Steinway & Sons music label was founded in 2010 and has produced many phenomenal albums since its inception. Recordings on the Steinway & Sons record label can be purchased through ArkivMusic.com as well as Amazon, iTunes and other fine retailers around the globe. This collaboration under the umbrella of the historic Steinway & Sons is a perfect vessel for producing the finest quality recordings by some of the most talented pianists in the world.